POLICE are warning people against Amazon Prime fraudsters who have stole more than £1 million from victims.

West Yorkshire Police shared a message from Action Fraud - the National Fraud and Cyber Crime Reporting Centre - urging people to be careful with scam calls.

The Centre has received more than 500 reports about an automated call scam impersonating Amazon.

The recipient of the call is informed that fraudsters have used their personal details to subscribe to an Amazon Prime subscription.

They are then instructed to "press 1" to cancel the subscription.

A victim is then automatically reconnected to an actual person on the other end of the call, if they "press 1".

The criminal caller poses as an Amazon customer service representative, who then attempts to remotely access the victim's computer, to steal personal and financial details.

To protect yourself from this kind of call Action Fraud advises:

  • Never install any software as a result of a cold call. Unsolicited requests for remote access to your computer should always raise a red flag.
  • Always question uninvited approaches in case it's a scam. Instead, contact the company directly using a known email or phone number.
  • Have the confidence to refuse unusual requests for personal or financial information. It's easy to feel embarrassed when faced with unexpected or complex conversations. But it's okay to stop the discussion if you do not feel in control of it.